| Home Study Sheets Archives Second Quarter 2009 | Email | Print |
|
Feast of Fools
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 79
- What characteristics did the Pharisees cherish that are common today?
- What type of leaders were the Pharisees?
Luke 14:7-11 (Amplified Bible)
“Now He told a parable to those who were invited, [when] He noticed how they were selecting the places of honor, saying to them,
“When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, do not recline on the chief seat [in the place of honor], lest a more distinguished person than you has been invited by him, “And he who invited both of you will come to you and say, Let this man have the place [you have taken]. Then, with humiliation and a guilty sense of impropriety, you will begin to take the lowest place.
“But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when your host comes in, he may say to you, Friend, go up higher! Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit [at table] with you.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled (ranked below others who are honored or rewarded), and he who humbles himself (keeps a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly) will be exalted (elevated in rank).”
- What made Jesus tell the parable in Luke 14:7-11?
- What can we learn from the attitudes of the Pharisees and Luke 14:7-11?
- How can Luke 14:7-11 make you and me better Christians?
FEAST OF FOOLS
Imagine you’re visiting the great Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, sometime around New Year’s Day in the year 1405. You walk into the huge building expecting to see a solemn worship service. Instead, you see the most amazing sight. Priests are dancing around the altar, wearing their clothes inside out and chanting nonsense syllables instead of the wors of the service. The smell of incense fills the air—but it stinks, because it’s made from smelly old shoes! And up the beautiful center aisle of the church, two monks are leading—a donkey! You wonder, what is going on here?
You’ve arrived just in time for the Feast of Fools, an unofficial “holiday” popular during the Middle Ages. On that day, all the normal rules were turned upside down. People were encouraged to let off a little steam by behaving in bizarre ways, doing things that aren’t normally considered appropriate.
In even earlier times, similar celebrations were held in many different countries. One of the best known is the Roman festival of Saturnalia, held in honor of the god Saturn. During this festival, everyone changed places in society. Masters served their slaves, and children were allowed to run the household. For a short time, everyone pretended things were different. Those on the bottom of the ladder got to pretend for one day that they were at the top.
Can you imagine celebrating the Feast of Fools, or Saturnalia, at your school? You could sit in the principal’s office with your feet up on the desk and give your teacher detention for talking too loudly or running in the halls. OK—so maybe the faculty won’t go for that idea!
Our society depends on the idea that some people give orders, while others take orders. We all know who’s important, who’s at the top, who’s in charge. But Jesus came preaching a bunch of seemingly crazy ideas about an upside-down kingdom in which the “leaders” were really the servants, dedicated to helping the people lower down on the ladder. In this kingdom, Jesus said, the way to get ahead was by getting down on our hands and knees to do the dirty work. The only way to become great was to serve others. And Jesus didn’t suggest this as a one-day crazy festival. No, He said this was how things should be every day—in our homes, in our schools in our churches.
What do you think the meaning of the feast mentioned in the story above might be?
HERE’S WHAT I THINK
In this year’s student association elections, three candidates are running. Candidate A, Jim, is an extremely popular student, a star basketball player, active in the church youth group. He’s good-looking, and everyone likes him. Candidate B, Michele, is a quiet, studious girl who gets straight A’s and wants to study law. Of candidates, she seems to have the best ideas about how student government should work and what she can do to improve the school—but she’s not a whole lot of fun. Candidate C, Dave, is a nice guy but not a superstar. His grades are good enough to run for president but not straight A’s. He has lots of friends, but he’s not what you’d call super-popular. Mostly, people know Dave as someone who works hard. He tutors underprivileged kids at a community center after school, he coaches a kids’ soccer team for free, and he’s gone on two church mission trips and he was the hardest—working member of the team.
Whom are you going to vote for? What qualities do you think are most important in a leader?
Go to www.guidemagazine.org/rtf to post your responses. Sometimes, though, your thoughts will become clearer if you write them down. The lines below are for you to record your thoughts. You may wish to share your thoughts with your class later.
Monday
John 13:1-17 (New International Version)
“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.
“The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
“He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’
“Jesus replied, ‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’
"‘No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’
“Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’
"‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’
“Jesus answered, ‘A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.’ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord,” and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.’ ”
“Christ was performing an act of service for his disciples. He took a towel, and girded himself. He had many things to say to them, but how would they bear it? He saw that commotions of a forbidding order were taking hold upon them. Contention had come in among them. For one of their number to wash the feet of the rest was, they thought, an act to be looked down upon—an act that servants were supposed to do always—and there was no one that made a move, yet, the while, all were trying to appear unconscious. O, how wretchedly miserable they felt! They seemed to think only of themselves. What terrible selfishness, and choosing to have their own way!
“The Saviour let the matter linger a little while, to see if their hearts would change. And then he, the one they loved, rose, and laid aside his garments, and, taking a towel, girded himself, pouring water into the basin. It was then that the disciples were astonished and ashamed. Christ could not have put upon them a greater rebuke. In his heart he pitied his disciples. He knew that after his death, all this scene would scourge them, and be sufficient punishment. His soul was already pressed under a severe load, that none of them could enter into. But his love did not change at all. He knew that the hour was just before him when he should depart out of this world, and go unto the Father; yet, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. His love was enduring, it was divine. Their childish jealousies and passions were hurting their own souls.” (Ellen G. White, Review and Herald, July 5, 1898).
- Why did Jesus wash His disciple’ feet?
- Was this very different from the way the Pharisees behaved? Explain.
- What type of leader was Jesus?
- What was the lesson that Jesus was trying to teach His disciples’?
Please read the selection in Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing below and the “SO WHAT” portion of your lesson before answering the questions below.
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing , p. 80
- From the reading today, can you explain how Jesus felt about flattery and admiration?
- When you are “doing acts of charity,” what two things should you try not to do?
- How can we connect doing things for others and avoiding flattery with leadership?
- What kind of person do you enjoy following?
- What kind of person do you feel is a successful Christian?
Matthew 23:10-12 (Amplified Bible)
“And you must not be called masters (leaders), for you have one Master (Leader), the Christ.
“He who is greatest among you shall be your servant.
“Whoever exalts himself [with haughtiness and empty pride] shall be humbled (brought low), and whoever humbles himself [whoever has a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly] shall be raised to honor.”
Proverbs 25:6-7 (The Message)
“Don’t work yourself into the spotlight;
Don’t push your way into the place of prominence.
It’s better to be promoted to a place of honor
than face humiliation by being demoted.”
SO WHAT?
Sure, we all know Christians are supposed to help others. But most of the time, it seems like something you do for extra credit. You know—accept Jesus as your Savior, go to church, pray, read the Bible—and, if you have time, go on a mission trip or sing at the nursing home on Sabbath afternoon. Doing it makes you look good and maybe even feel good—but is it really all that important?
According to Jesus, it’s at the dead-center of the Christian life. It’s what He’s going to be looking for when He comes back again. And it’s the only way to get ahead, to really succeed. Jesus isn’t impressed by your grades, your sports trophies, your friends, your clothes, even your perfect Sabbath School attendance record. A big shot in Jesus’ kingdom is someone who’s willing to get down on his or her knees and do the dirty work.
That’s why Jesus did that little object lesson where He got down and washed the disciples’ dirty feet. Nobody else was willing to do it. Jesus showed that a real leader, a real success, is the person who’s not afraid to get his or her hands dirty—serving others.
Match the verse with the text.
- Matthew 20:25-28 (CEV)___________
- John 13:12-15 (CEV)_____________
- Matthew 25:40 (CEV)____________
- Micah 6:8 (NIV)_________________
- Matthew 23:11,12 (CEV)___________
- Luke 14:12-14 (CEV)______________
- James 1:27 (Message)____________
- “Whenever you did if for any of my people, no matter how unimportant. . . .”
- “. . . If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. And if you want to be first, you must be the slave of the rest. . . .”
- “. . . To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
- “Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to . . . .”
- “. . . When you give a feast invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. They cannot pay you back. But God will bless you and reward you when his people rise from death.”
- “. . . I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you.”
- “. . .But if you humble yourself you will be honored.”
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 81, 82
- With what attitude should we serve others?
- Should we think of the reward while we are serving others?
- When does God give Himself to us?
“Wonderful is the work which the Lord designs to accomplish through His church, that His name may be glorified. A picture of this work is given in Ezekiel's vision of the river of healing: ‘These waters issue out toward the east country, and go down into the desert, and go into the sea: which being brought forth into the sea, the waters shall be healed. And it shall come to pass, that everything that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live: . . . and by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.’
“From the beginning God has wrought through His people to bring blessing to the world. To the ancient Egyptian nation God made Joseph a fountain of life. Through the integrity of Joseph the life of that whole people was preserved. Through Daniel God saved the life of all the wise men of Babylon. And these deliverances are as object lessons; they illustrate the spiritual blessings offered to the world through connection with the God whom Joseph and Daniel worshiped. Everyone in whose heart Christ abides, everyone who will show forth His love to the world, is a worker together with God for the blessing of humanity. As he receives from the Saviour grace to impart to others, from his whole being flows forth the tide of spiritual life.” (Acts of the Apostles, p. 17).
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ME?
Maybe you see yourself as a leader . . . or maybe you don’t. Either way, God is calling you to serve. That means serving Him by serving others. But how do you make that a little more practical? How do you know what God actually wants you to do for others?
Different people will get different answers to that question. But a good start is to take a look around you. What are the needs you see in your family, in your school, in your community? Who are the people who really need help?
“Take a look at yourself, too. God blessed you with natural talents and abilities, and He’ll help those to grow if you give them to Him to serve others. Where can your gifts be used to connect with other people’s needs?
“Remember Jesus washing those disciples’ feet. He was being humble—putting Himself down in order to serve others. Real service may use your natural gifts and talents, but it will also involve being humble. Not drawing attention to yourself or getting praise for how great you are doing things that may be difficult, that others might not appreciate or understand. It might even mean getting your hands dirty!
“Really serving others brings us closer to Jesus—and to other people too! Start looking for opportunities to answer God’s call to service today.
- How will you know if God has called you to be a leader?
- Do you have to be a leader to be in God’s service? Explain.
- What is more important: being a leader or being in God’s service? Or both? Explain.
Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, p. 83
- What happens to your character when you do “deeds of kindness”?
- When will we reap what we have sown?
HOW DOES IT WORK?
Look back at yesterday’s suggestions for finding ways to serve. Then jot down a few ideas about how God might be calling you to serve others:
Needs I see around me:
Things I’m good at and enjoy doing:
Where do the two connect? (How can I use my gifts to meet others needs?)